I made a peppercorn garlic pork dish yesterday that was pretty kick ass and doesn’t require alot of fancy ingredients. This is how I made it (courtesy of Victor Sodsook):
2 porkchops cut into medallions (the recipe called for pork tenderloin, but I didn’t have any)
8 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons of coarse black pepper
Cook the garlic and pepper for about a minute in a heated wok at medium heat.
Then turn up to high and add the pork and fry for 30 seconds
Add 1/4 cup sweet dark soy (I used regular soy and planned to add molasses, but alas, we were out so I used liquid honey)
add 1/4 cup fish sause cook for 1.5 minutes and serve over rice.
minor correction, don’t let the garlic burn in the first step. if that only takes 10 seconds then that is all it takes. This recipe cooks fast so have everything ready before you start.
This article has a recipe for a (non-fermented) fish sauce, with links to more recipes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_sauce
Can’t find a cite, but I read once that soy sauce was invented by Buddhists to provide a vegetarian alternative to the ubiquitous fish sauce.
Worcestershire sauce could be considered a form of fish sauce, since it is made with anchovies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcestershire_sauce
The Romans used a fish sauce called garum. See this old thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269975